Feeling FURIOUS!

Okay, so the latest issue of "Working Mother" magazine is out. This morning, as I was walking out the door for work, I noticed one of the headlines on the cover..."Does television trigger autism?" I was interested to see how they would help dispel the myth, so I grabbed it to read when I had an extra minute or two at the office. Now, I'm just angry.

There has been a recent dramatic increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. This very short, two paragraph "article" states that recent research suggests that television viewing by children is contributing to the increase in autism! What a bunch of crap! You know what they are basing this on??? A single study of cable subscriptions in Pennsylvania and California from the years 1970-1990. This study says that cable TV subscriptions in these 2 states increased at the same rate as the increase in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. Of course! They increased at the same rate so there MUST be a connection between the two. It couldn't POSSIBLY be that cable TV technology has improved so much that "basic" cable is now more affordable to the general public, AND that coincidentally, medical technology has improved at the same rate so that there are now clearer understandings of the symptoms of autism and a more definitive set of diagnostic criteria that allow children to now be accurately diagnosed on the autism spectrum instead of with some other problem. Unbelievable!! Thanks so much for sending us straight back to the days when it was believed that autism was caused by cold, neglectful mothers. I am flabbergasted! It's difficult enough raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder without having the "experts" create theories that perpetuate nothing but guilt on the part of the parents. Instead of continuing to waste money on finding a cause/blaming the parents (the REAL experts agree that there is no single cause, there are a variety of possibilities, each child's cause could be different, and it is most likely genetic), perhaps they could instead invest that money on finding therapies that actually work to help these children achieve their absolute highest potential and then making those therapies affordable for all families! If autism is related to TV watching, how in the world do you explain away the fact that children on the spectrum actually show signs from infancy...LONG before they are diagnosed OR begin watching TV????

The only thing that makes me directly responsible for my child's autism spectrum disorder is that I contributed half of his chromosomes to him and gave birth to him. I do not think it is because he watched too much TV as a toddler, or because I was neglectful, or because I allowed his doctors to give him to get his immunizations. Anyone who chooses to judge me differently and feels that I am responsible, or would just like to know more about the subject, is invited to discuss this with me openly. I promise I'll stay calm. :)